to 12:1. Out of the 6,961 times that the divine name Jehovah occurs in the inspired Hebrew Scriptures from Genesis through Malachi (New World Translation, edition of 1971), 439 of these instances occur in the prophetic book of Ezekiel, and for sixty-two times Ezekiel quotes God’s statement of his steadfast purpose that nations, peoples and individuals “shall know that I am Jehovah.”

39. Whom does Ezekiel picture in our day and since when, and what was then on the move the same as in Ezekiel’s day?

³⁹ As regards our twentieth century, the prophet Ezekiel well pictures the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses since the year 1919 C.E., the critical year in which there was a revival of their public activities as foretold in Revelation 11:3-12.f It is true that in 1919 this spiritual remnant did not appreciate Jehovah’s organization as they do today. It is also true that they did not then discern that Jehovah’s organization was prophetically pictured by the symbolic chariot in Ezekiel’s vision, not till the year 1929. Nevertheless, Jehovah’s heavenly organization was, of course, in existence in the year 1919 and it got in spiritual touch with the anointed remnant in that year to revive them as Jehovah’s public witnesses to all the world. That chariotlike organization was on the move then in 1919; it is on the move today, and apparently its wheels of progress are turning faster than ever. Jehovah rides again!

40. At the vision of the “likeness of the glory of Jehovah,” what was Ezekiel moved to do, and at discerning Jehovah’s heavenly organization, what were the anointed remnant of this century moved to do?

⁴⁰ At the visionary “likeness of the glory of Jehovah” the priestly Ezekiel was irresistibly moved to fall upon his face, prostrate. He desired to know why this celestial chariot had drawn up before him and stopped. He found out as a voice came to him from the One enthroned upon the chariot, above the “likeness of an expanse like the sparkle of awesome ice.” (Ezekiel 1:22, 26-28) Likewise, at the discernment of Jehovah’s heavenly organization by the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses of this century, they were filled with awe. More strongly they felt obliged to worship Him and to become witnesses to his gloriously historical name, Jehovah. World War I having ended on November 11, 1918, and the postwar world having set in, they keenly listened in the year 1919, after their revival, to hear what Jehovah had to say to them through his chariotlike organization.

Chapter 4

Commissioned to Speak in the Divine Name

1. At the vision of the celestial chariot and its Rider at the river Chebar, why did Ezekiel prostrate himself, and about what might he have wondered?

LET us ask ourselves the question, What would I do if the emperor, king or president of my country took his official automobile and drove up to my home and, from his vehicle, made a personal delivery of a national commission to me? Well, that is somewhat of the experience that Ezekiel the son of Buzi the priest had by the bank of the river Chebar in the year 613 B.C.E., when, in vision, the celestial chariot of Jehovah, accompanied by four cherubs, wheeled down from the north and halted before him. Overwhelmed at this awe-inspiring spectacle of the “likeness of the glory of Jehovah,” Ezekiel reverently prostrated himself. As he remained prostrate with his face to the ground, wondering what was the purpose of this vision, he heard the voice of the Rider of the celestial chariot speaking to